Festive mood greets Pope Francis arrival in Luneta

Thousands of the faithful wait in the rain at Rizal Park where Pope Francis will celebrate his final Mass in Manila, Philippines, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015. AP

MANILA, Philippines–A tide of emotion washed over the sea of Catholics in Luneta Park when Pope Francis arrived on Sunday afternoon.

The overall mood was festive, with the crowd cheering and chanting the Pontiff’s name. The man who made Leyte weep, in both gratitude and the memory of grief, arrived at the historic landmark at 2:36 p.m.

With the crowd reaching biblical proportions, the charismatic Pope Francis made his way through the grounds onboard the jeepney-style popemobile. It was his wish to see the people, which by then had overflowed to nearby roads and lots.

The Mass, which will be concelebrated by 2,500 priests and 200 bishops, will be his last in the Philippines before he leaves for Rome on Monday.

For typhoon survivors

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said the Mass in Luneta will be dedicated to the survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” as well as their departed loved ones.

In his homily in Tacloban the day before, Pope Francis said he decided to go to the Philippines immediately after learning about the devastation wrought by Yolanda.

“I am here to be with you. A little bit late, but I’m here,” he said in Spanish.

But an approaching storm forced the Pontiff to return to Manila four hours earlier than scheduled.

Coinciding with the Feast of the Sto. Niño, the Luneta Mass will begin with devotees from the Archdiocese of Cebu leading the Sinulog rhythm and dance.

While the Mass will predominantly be in English, it will feature a number of other languages, such as Spanish, Latin, Tagalog, Sugbuanon, Ilocano, Bicol, Kapampangan, Hiligaynon and Waray.

Among the VIPs attending the Mass is President Benigno Aquino III.

Record-breaking crowd?

Pope Francis, who is the third Pontiff to visit the Philippines, has been praised for his simple and down-to-earth image. Dubbed as the “Pope of Surprises,” he is popular among Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He has been compared to Pope John Paul II, who is now a saint and had visited the country twice.

Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to the Philippines coincides with the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1995, which drew around five million people–said to be the largest single gathering of Christians in history–during his Mass on World Youth Day.

The Mass on Sunday is expected to rival and even break the record of the 1995 event.

Since he arrived in the Philippines on Thursday, Pope Francis has been winning over Filipinos with his heartfelt speeches, as well as decisions to break security protocol to be with the people. On Friday, he left Manila Cathedral with Tagle to visit an orphanage housing street children, and on Saturday, he left Manila early to reach Tacloban before the storm hit the province.

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